The red, white and blue decorations
were the same, the patriotism was the same, but as guest speaker
Henry Detering noted, there were some people missing this year at the
Kennett Area Senior Center's Veterans Luncheon.

The ranks of World War II, Korean War
and Vietnam War veterans are thinning, and Detering – a retired Lt.
Colonel and former teacher and principal – pointed out that “while
there's nothing wrong with students today, they don't have the
example I grew up with,” when veterans were everywhere in daily
life. “Today, most families don't have any connection to death in
uniform. The greatest generation is rapidly disappearing. Even my
Vietnam generation isn't getting any younger,” he said. “But the
veterans of the gulf wars, people who've served in Afghanistan –
they have made the same sacrifices, and can teach you the same
lessons about patriotism and sacrifice and love of our country.”

The annual luncheon is always a big
event, and the Nov. 4 program drew a big crowd. Students from C.F.
Patton Middle School provided a rousing musical medley that saluted
each branch of the armed forces, and State Rep. Stephen Barrar spoke
about “the failure in this country to educate our children about
the cost of freedom and the cost of war. People think things should
be given to them for free, but they don't understand that for every
freedom we have, there is a cost,” Barrar said. “The opportunity
I have to walk up the Capitol steps every day is guaranteed to me,
not by politicians, but by our veterans.”

Mike Pralle, commander of VFW Post
5467, hosted the program and noted that he was frustrated by how
today's veterans are being treated. “I did 27 years in the Navy,
and I think our government should be doing more for us. I did a
funeral about two months ago for one of our local veterans. He was 37
years old, with three tours in Afghanistan,” Pralle said, his voice
cracking, “He shot himself because he could not get through the
problems with our veterans affairs system. That's not acceptable. As
veterans, we need to let our voices be heard. People in Washington
need to know that veterans do count. We should take care of our own.”

When Detering was introduced, he began
by asking the students and adults in the audience about Armistice Day
that marked the end of World War I. “That was the end of the war to
end all wars,” he said. “Then it got a number, and was followed
by World War II. Unfortunately, there are very few veterans of World
War II with us today. Some of the students who might have been here
before may notice that, this year, they don't see all the same
faces.”

Detering serves as the emcee of the
Memorial Day parade in West Grove each year, and recalled one year
when, “as we were marching down the street, there was a gentleman
in a wheelchair who saw the flags coming and wanted to stand up. His
daughter was next to him and she went to help him. But he struggled
to stand up on his own. He was going to do it by himself. It was an
incredible thing, done out of pride and the respect he had for his
flag and his country. Then I saw a woman who was probably well into
her 80s, saluting the flag, with tears running down her face. I'm
sure she had lost somebody in her family. Remember why we celebrate
this day, because it really matters.”

For the past two years, Detering has
been leading 10-day trips through the Grand Canyon for groups of
younger veterans. He spoke about his experiences on the “Grand
Canyon Warriors” and how the journeys have made a difference for
veterans and their families.

After getting suggestions from military
organizations about who would most benefit from the trip, veterans
dealing with physical injuries, brain injuries or PTSD were selected.
“We took veterans who had been through very similar experiences.
There were no outsiders – just veterans,” Detering said. “We
had no agenda. When the veterans were in a group they were
comfortable with, they opened up and talked about their problems.
They talked about guilt, suicide, the inability to adjust at home.”

Two years ago, the group was welcomed
by a group of Hopi Native Americans who were on a spiritual quest
through the canyon at the same time. “One of the veterans in our
group said, 'Thank you for letting us be on your river,'” Detering
said. That led to a bonding experience between the two groups. The
two groups camped near each other, and the next morning, one of the
Hopi men, Marvin, met with the veterans.

“He told our young Marines to leave
their demons behind, and to fill themselves with what's good in
life,” Detering said. “He said to take all that was bad inside
them and leave it in the river to be washed away. I had no idea what
an impact Marvin's words would have on our guys for the rest of the
trip.”

Last year, Marvin requested a meeting
with the veterans at the beginning of the trip and blessed them on
their journey. The trips – which include rigorous whitewater
rafting and hiking – are challenging, both physically and
emotionally.

“I've been asked if these trips
work,” Detering said. He read a letter from the wife of one of the
veterans, who wrote that, “This trip has not only saved his life,
but it has saved our family,” Detering read. “That's why we did
it. I'm pretty sure it works very well.”